Nuclear energy in Romania: history and prospects

Romania is a country in Eastern Europe that draws its electricity production from a variety of sources. In 2020, the breakdown of electricity production in Romania was as follows: 34.5% hydroelectric, 31.7% thermal (natural gas and coal), 12.3% wind, 9.9% solar and 8.8% nuclear [1]. This article will focus on Romania’s nuclear energy history, technologies and innovative projects.

Romania currently has one nuclear power plant, the Cernavodă plant, which supplies around 8.8% of the country’s electricity. Romania intends to expand its nuclear power production by building new units at the Cernavodă plant and exploring innovative reactor technologies, such as the ALFRED project. These developments could help diversify Romania’s energy mix, meet growing electricity demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

History of nuclear power generation in Romania

The history of nuclear energy in Romania dates back to the 1950s, with the creation of the Institute of Atomic Physics in 1956 and the establishment of a nuclear energy research program [2]. Construction of Romania’s first nuclear power plant, the Cernavodă plant, began in 1980, with the collaboration of Canada [3].

The Cernavodă plant is located in southeastern Romania and currently has two reactors in operation, Unit 1, commissioned in 1996, and Unit 2, commissioned in 2007 [4]. These two reactors supply around 8.8% of the country’s electricity [1].

Nuclear reactor technologies used in Romania

The reactors at the Cernavodă power plant are CANDU-6 heavy water pressure channel reactors (PHWRs), designed by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) [4]. CANDU reactors use heavy water (deuterium oxide, D₂O) as moderator and coolant, and natural uranium fuel rods as fuel [5]. The use of heavy water enables CANDU reactors to achieve high burnup and to operate with a high degree of fuel flexibility, including the use of natural uranium, enriched uranium and plutonium [5].

Innovative power plant and reactor projects

Romania aims to expand its nuclear power production by building new units at the Cernavodă power plant. Units 3 and 4 are planned to be CANDU-6 type reactors, similar to the existing units, and should have a total capacity of 1,400 MWe [6]. The Romanian government signed an agreement with China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGNPC) in 2015 to develop these two new units, but negotiations were halted in 2020 due to political and economic differences [7].

In addition to plans to expand the Cernavodă plant, Romania is also exploring innovative reactor technologies. The “Horia Hulubei” Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH) has been selected in 2019 to host one of the Advanced Modular Reactors (ARMT) of the European-Romanian ALFRED (Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator) project [8]. ARMTs are small-scale reactors (generally under 300 MWe), offering potential advantages in terms of safety, flexibility and lower construction costs. The ALFRED reactor is a lead-cooled fast reactor project designed to demonstrate the efficiency and safety of this technology [9].

List of Romanian reactors

Countries producing nuclear power

References

• [1] ANRE. (2021). Raportul pieței de energie electrică și gaze naturale din România pentru anul 2020. Retrieved from http://www.anre.ro/ro/info-consumatori/rapoarte-si-studii
• [2] World Nuclear Association. (2021). Nuclear Power in Romania. Retrieved from https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-o-s/romania.aspx
• [3] Nuclearelectrica. (n.d.). Cernavodă NPP. Retrieved from https://www.nuclearelectrica.ro/cernavoda-npp/?lang=en
• [4] World Nuclear Association. (2021). Nuclear Power in Romania. Retrieved from https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-o-s/romania.aspx
• [5] World Nuclear Association. (2021). Heavy Water Reactors. Retrieved from https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/nuclear-power-reactors/heavy-water-reactors.aspx
• [6] Nuclearelectrica. (n.d.). Units 3 and 4. Retrieved from https://www.nuclearelectrica.ro/units-3-and-4/?lang=en
• [7] World Nuclear News. (2020). Romania ends agreement with China for new Cern
• avodă units. Retrieved from https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Romania-ends-agreement-with-China-for-new-Cernavod
• [8] Institutul de Fizică și Inginerie Nucleară “Horia Hulubei” (IFIN-HH). (n.d.). ALFRED – Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator. Retrieved from https://www.nipne.ro/alice/alfred/en
• [9] European Commission. (n.d.). The Advanced Lead Fast Reactor European Demonstrator Project. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/research-topic/advanced-lead-fast-reactor-european-demonstrator-project